Recipe: Chef Nancy Silverton's scotch-caramel ice cream

Note: A couple tasters called this the best ice cream they had ever eaten. It's not too icky sweet, yet it's got a luscious flavor and texture that makes it difficult to put down . It's a wonderful, grown-up ice cream. Kathie Jenkins featured the recipe in May as part of her Party Line column--the ice cream was served by Campanile co-owner and pastry chef Nancy Silverton over apple pie at a benefit dinner for the Los Angeles Opera. With ice cream like this, who needs pie?

1 pound sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups Scotch

1 quart milk

1 quart whipping cream

16 egg yolks

Place sugar, vanilla bean and Scotch in large pot and cook until dark caramel color. Add milk and cream and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Let stand 30 minutes. Bring mixture again to boil and pour over egg yolks while whisking. Strain through fine mesh strainer into bowl. Whisk to release heat until cool. Chill.